Long Hypnobabies Birth with Positive Surprises

Shared by one of our Hypnobabies Instructors Carole (with permission from the parents) This is a great example of how even if a birth does not go as planned Hypnobabies can still help every step of the way!

HI Carole!
I have been meaning to write to you for some time but as you can imagine, I have had my hands quite full! I wanted to tell you about our birth experience since you played such a significant role in our preparation. I can’t imagine what we would have done without you and our Hypnobabies course!
Our birthing time turned out very different than we imagined. A few weeks before my guess date, some physical complications arose. I think [my husband] called you when we were having a hard time getting the baby to move away from my right side. I was baffled that he could be over there because I had been pretty diligent about my pelvic rocks and sleep/ sitting positions. Well, it turns out he couldn’t go over to the left even if he tried! After getting checked out, we found that my sacrum was rotated and my pelvis tilted at a funny angle, making the room in my pelvis mostly on the right side.
We didn’t know it, but this had also been restricting growth for our baby and the placenta. I suppose there was a reason why everyone said I looked so small. Indeed, [our baby] was born at 7.2 lbs, with a placenta the size of something that would have grown a 4 lb. baby. But the tissue itself was very healthy, thanks to my diet; it was just not allowed to get very big.
Anyway, I went to a chiropractor who is very gifted with pregnancy/ pediatrics and within a week of her working to move my sacrum and pelvis, my belly popped out and I gained several stomach centimeters and a few pounds. He was able to move over to the left and center very easily after a week and a half of steady treatment. As you know, two weeks passed after our guess date. I started birthing waves one afternoon and we excitedly started getting ready for that much anticipated time. We never imagined that our sweet boy would be born 36 hours later! I listened to my birthing time CDs and [my husband] was with me, helping me move and keeping me focused the whole time. I will never forget the way he supported me.
I wrestled emotionally during the birthing time after it was apparent that we were not in for a ‘fast and easy’ birthing time. After a while I knew I just had to focus and forget about it being what I thought. I felt a bit like I failed at Hypnobabies because it was not quick or easy. My back was not ‘fixed’ and it was physically more intense than I imagined. [Our son] was born after the greatest physical feat I have ever been through! We both felt confused and overwhelmed, to tell you the truth (add to that the shock of thinking we were having a girl and it ending up being a boy!). At the end of the day, when the midwives were finally going home, they repeatedly remarked what a pleasure our birthing time was to be a part of AND how peaceful and joyful it was. I was a little shocked, to tell you the truth. I remembered being more focused than I have ever been during the birthing time, but it was so intense for me, I did not know it looked so peaceful. A few days went by and we decided to watch the video we recorded of the birthing time. I was amazed! We both cried through it. If you didn’t know I was giving birth to a baby you might miss it on the video until he was lifted out of the water and started crying. I was that calm. We realized that in the intensity and length, the Hypnobabies prepared us more than we knew. I don’t know how I would have handled such an long and physically intense time without such wonderful emotional and mental preparation. I know now that I did not fail at all; Hypnobabies prepared me to deal with my unique situation. We plan on doing a natural birth again for sure.
Anyway, thanks a million times over for your care and support. We feel that God sent us the BEST support and preparation we could have ever asked for!
All the best, [Mom]

P.S. Our Little One has been smiling responsively (no, its not gas) from the beginning. People are shocked!!

OHMIGOSH!What an amazing birthing you had. Thank you for sharing with such candor. I appreciate hearing of your experience of your birthing. I am so glad you practiced as well as you did, and were able to surmount all the ‘speed bumps’ that your birthing presented you (including your anticipated daughter, Hailey, being born with a penis!?). Shows how deadly accurate those ultrasounds are. How crazy that must have been for you. Were you completely prepared with everything PINK?! : )

I bet your midwives will agree that if you hadn’t been in such good control and so relaxed, you might have fatigued and needed transport…or a cesarean. You not only avoided that possibility but managed an unmedicated, non-interventive birthing for your little guy. You should be beyond proud of yourself. I am very pleased for you. 36 long, challenging hours is incredible, and pretty much impossible for moms who are not calm, confident, and ready for what comes. Congratulations you two. Well done. Your little guy certainly is reaping the rewards of his birthing…smiling as he came out I’ll bet!

Thanks huge lots for the pictures. Your [surprise son] is beautiful. He’d even make a cute girl if he had been so endowed. Hah!

May I share your story? Everyone would be so inspired and delighted to hear that in spite of some very real challenges, Hypnobabies managed to help you birth your baby naturally. If you’d like, I can change names to ‘mom’ & ‘dad’ and ‘baby’ to protect your privacy. And, if you’d really rather not, please say so, and I will be grateful that you shared with me.

In friendship and awe of the power of birthing women like you!

Carole

Yes Carole,
Our son has a lot of dresses! We are slowly catching up with boy clothes and have packed away the pink with hopes that perhaps a little sister will be able to use it someday.
Our midwives definitely agree that our birth would have been VERY different had we not been prepared in the manner we were. Other Moms I talk to are shocked as well at how things actually turned out with such a long birthing time and my pelvis/back being in the state it was in. There were so many little things I was able to do, such as our midwife telling me I needed to sleep for several hours, right in the middle of the intensity. Because of Hypnobabies I knew how to enter that state effectively. I had my CDs on and was able to ‘sleep’ for a few minutes between birthing waves for several hours.
It is the deepest connection I have ever had with my own mind and body. Pretty empowering! At the end of one of the CDs she says, “through birth I find healing.” That phrase has always struck me. Indeed, it was very healing and liberating to so fully connect to my experience and baby and overcome some challenges in such a natural, beautiful and calm way. My sense of self has been impacted very deeply. On a funnier note, [Dad] says he will never forget the hours and hours of our trio: the CD would say “Ahhhh…” then I would say “Ahhh…” and then our midwife would echo “Ahhh….”. After hours and hours of this, he was going crazy! : )
Of course you can share the story! We would rather our names and pics not be posted, but would love people to know that Hypnobabies makes all the difference in ANY given situation.